New Cuisinart skillet, everything sticks. Help?

Ok, I'm not an idiot about cooking in stainless. We got rid of our non-stick pans 2 years ago and have been living pretty happily with only a small stainless omelette pan, a large cast iron and a wok. For Xmas, I received a seemingly pretty nice cuisinart "3-ply" stainless skillet, I think it's a 12". Every single thing we have cooked in here has stuck, which is bad enough, but what's worse is cleaning it is next to impossible. At least in my other pans, when things stick I can get them clean without sweating and working for 30 minutes scrubbing the dang thing out. I've tried soaking it in hot water for a couple of hours first and then scrubbing but it wasn't any easier.

The pan's instructions said to use only low or medium heat, which I've complied with. I've done the usual in getting it hot first, then cold oil, then food in the pan, but everything sticks. I grilled pieces of italian sausage last night, in plenty of oil and even they stuck like mad!

I've never had that problem with mine and I follow the same procedures. I make sure my food is not straight from the fridge, as that tends to make things stick. Did you leave it alone before stirring/moving? If you move it around too fast, it could stick. You should also make sure the oil is shimmering before adding food.....I don't know what else to tell you.

You cooking on gas or electric? Does the pan have a metal disk on the bottom?

Gas. No metal disk as I can recall (I'm at work and don't have the pan in front of me but I scrubbed it like 4 times over the past 3 days and I would probably remember). I did leave the sausage for awhile before messing with it but it was really stuck on there.

I feel bad because this pan was a gift. I don't want to get rid of it because it was a gift but I know I will go out of my way to avoid using it because of the sticking problem. I just don't know what to do.

I have a 15" ss All-clad that I use when I want my food to stick, but mainly use my non-stick pans, day to day. The ss is perfect for stuff that needs pan sauces, where I want the fond. For pan-steaks, thin pork chops, veal or chicken pounded flat and floured, I want lots of stuff to stick to the pan, and the non-stick just doesn't get enough. But then, I pour the liquid in and get it hot (chicken stock, wine, whatever...) and that lets me loosen up what's in the pan. Either serve on the meat, or put the meat back in to coat and then serve. In any case, by the time I go to clean up the pan, nothing is stuck and I just wash it out gently with a sponge and dishsoap/water.

For thick chops or steaks, I either grill outside or use the cast iron super hot - once I've formed a good maillard reaction on both sides of the meat, I'll throw the pan in the oven to finish. Clean-up is wipe out the pan with paper towels.

For other stuff - grilled veg, sausage&peppers, etcetc... it's Teflon - good ol' PTFE. As long as I keep the surface temp under 500F, I feel pretty safe. I also don't try and keep these pans for very long, as they all wear. I buy cheapo teflon stuff at the restaurant supply store and toss them after 2-3 years, or if they accidentally get seriously grooved. You can brown meat on teflon - you just can't get the fond - IMHO, that's what they invented stainless steel for!

Then you haven't read the holy bible: On Food and Cooking - The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, by Harold McGee. Also discussed in depth (how to enhance with baking soda, fat being an essential requirement, controlled tests, etc.) in Herve This's Molecular Gastronomy.

thanks for your sarcastic snark, and happy new year to you too. I happen to be POOR so I do read the instructions when I get something new so that it lasts, I don't break or ruin whatever it is or otherwise f*ck the thing up because I didn't bother to take 5 seconds to look through the do's and don'ts.

I'm sorry for being a jackass! Its just that I beat and bang and high heat my inexpensive SS Chefmate pots and pans from Target (no instructions), as I do my then expensive but now 30 years old German no-name set. I got the German stuff when I was relatively poor and they've lasted through years of tough use (also no instructions). Now that I have dough, I still buy inexpensive from Target when I visit the US--simply because I can't find real reasons to buy more expensive stuff. I have a couple of really, really high output single burner stoves (one that Thai street food vendors use, another made for campers in the US). I've used my stainless on these stoves--no damage and no sticking.

This thread is very strange to me. If one of the main advantages of a regular skillet is to get a good fond on the bottom, how is this achieved with something that says to only use on low or medium heat (especially since your 'medium' and mine might be quite different). If you don't want something to stick, the pan needs to be very hot before you add the food and it then needs to be left alone (NOT moved around constantly) until you have a nice sear and it is no longer adhering to the pan. Your food does not need to 'stick' in order to form a fond.

I'm getting rid of my teflon also, and switching to the cuisinart, but I haven't tried the skillet yet. I'm keeping a piece of my teflon for certain things like eggs. I have heard (from "chefs" on TV) that if something is sticking to the pan that it is not ready to be turned over yet. I'm not sure how valid that theory is, but its worth a try. I also think that the pans should be fine over higher heat. I mean, if any pan is going to work on high heat it should be a triple clad one, right? Also, maybe let the oil heat up before adding the food.

I'm sorry you are having such trouble with the pan. It is beautiful though. If all else fails you can hang it on the wall.

I think it's any or all of three things: 1) not using enough heat 2) not letting the oil heat up and 3) not waiting long enough before moving the items. A fully clad saute pan should be made for high heat--that's the very basis of sauteeing. My guess is that the low heat info has more to do with Cuisinart's legal department than sound cooking. You can always adjust your heat after the items have "released."

thanks everyone. I know I'm not guilty of not waiting long enough before moving the food, so I will try getting it really really hot as well as making the oil very hot and see if this improves the results.